Wolves waive PG Price

Often deactivated or receiving very limited playing time, point guard A.J. Price appeared in 28 games this season for the Timberwolves, averaging 3.5 minutes, 1.6 points and 0.5 assists per game.

Howard Smith/Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

MINNEAPOLIS — The Timberwolves roster stands at 14 after the team opted to waive reserve point guard A.J. Price.

With eight games left in the season and Minnesota on the verge of mathematical elimination from playoff contention, it’s a curious move, but a fairly marginal one. Often deactivated or receiving a DNP-CD, Price appeared in 28 games this season, averaging 3.5 minutes, 1.6 points and 0.5 assists per game.

With Ricky Rubio and J.J. Barea playing the vast majority of minutes at point guard, there was never much room for Price to crack the rotation. The five-year NBA veteran earned a training-camp invite this past summer and was kept around for insurance purposes and to help some of Minnesota’s younger players along.

He hadn’t played since March 5 against New York and received an emergency appendectomy not long after. He hadn’t been activated since then.

The decision gives Minnesota the option of signing a free agent to a 10-day contract to close the season if the front office so chooses. But one more loss or a win by either Dallas, Memphis or Phoenix, and the Timberwolves will be out of the postseason running, so such a move would only give them an early look at a player for next season.